Gov. Evers, DATCP Celebrate June Dairy Month, Announce Dairy Processor Grant Recipients

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), today announced seven Wisconsin dairy companies will receive 2025 Dairy Processor Grants. These grants help local dairy processors with projects to modernize and grow their businesses, produce new products, or expand their markets, while improving profitability and sustaining the long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy processing facilities.

“If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that they don’t call Wisconsin ‘America’s Dairyland’ for nothing—and that’s why I’ve been proud to support our dairy industry over the past six years,” said Gov. Evers. “Whether it’s increasing funding for the Dairy Processor Grant Program, supporting initiatives to promote Wisconsin’s export program and dairy exports, or investing in programs and projects like the Dairy Innovation Hub and the Center for Dairy Research at UW-Madison—you name it—as long as I am governor, I will always work to ensure our farmers, now and in the future, have the resources and support they deserve.”

Today’s announcement comes as the state recognizes June Dairy Month in celebration of Wisconsin’s dairy industry, which is a significant part of the state’s cultural heritage and a central driver of the state’s economy. Here in “America’s Dairyland,” Wisconsin has more dairy farms than any other state in the nation that support a more than $50 billion industry in the state and over 120,000 jobs.

“The adaptability of Wisconsin’s dairy processors is a key component in the continued success of our nation-leading dairy industry,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “Their spirit of innovation is evident in the projects supported by these grants.”

Since 2014, DATCP has received 267 dairy processor grant proposals requesting more than $11.4 million. DATCP has been able to fund 135 of those proposals, totaling $3.2 million. With such significant interest in these grants, as part of his 2025-27 Executive Budget, Gov. Evers is proposing to once again increase funding for the Dairy Processor Grant Program by providing an additional $1.2 million to support Wisconsin’s dairy processors and the state’s dairy supply chain. This builds on Gov. Evers work over the past several years to support and increase funding for this critical program, including securing an additional $600,000 for Dairy Processor Grants in the 2023-25 Biennial Budget.

Thanks to the increased investments secured by Gov. Evers, a total of $200,000 was available for this round of the Dairy Processor Grant Program, with a maximum of $50,000 allowed for each project. Grant recipients are required to provide a match of at least 20 percent of the grant amount. DATCP received 22 grant requests totaling more than $940,000.

The Dairy Processor Grant recipients and their planned projects are:

• Brunkow Cheese of Wisconsin: Purchase new equipment and supplies and invest in new staff to expand production of Brun-uusto baked cheese.
• Burnett Dairy Cooperative: Identify the amount of milk components currently being captured and where they are being lost to wastewater streams.
• Decatur Swiss Cheese Co-op: Support the production of a new variety of string cheese through the purchase of equipment, staff training, and supporting marketing activities.
• Klondike Cheese Company: Modernize operations to cut and package feta cheese, increasing production and efficiency.
• Milk Specialties Company DBA Actus Nutrition: Conduct efficiency reviews of systems, supplies, and wastewater and identify needed staff training.
• Silver and Lewis Cheese Factory Cooperative: Modernize and streamline plant operations, analyze sales processes and locations, and assist with transition planning.
• Specialty Cheese Company: Study new packaging which would potentially increase savings and variety of paneer cheese.

For more information on dairy processor grants, visit the DATCP website here. A copy of the governor’s 2025 June Dairy Month proclamation is available here.

EVERS ADMINISTRATION’S EFFORTS TO BOLSTER AMERICA’S DAIRYLAND AND AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES
Gov. Evers has long been a champion for Wisconsin’s farm families, agricultural and farm industries, and rural communities, including creating the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports to boost the export of dairy, meat, crop, and other products by 25 percent. Under Gov. Evers’ leadership, Wisconsin is on its way to becoming a top 10 state in the country for agricultural exports. The governor previously created the Wisconsin Office of Rural Prosperity at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to provide assistance to Wisconsinites in navigating state programs and resources tailored to rural communities, businesses, and workers.

The governor has also long advocated for increasing funding for meat and dairy processing to support the state’s supply chain and important initiatives such as supporting farmer mental health through increased funding for the DATCP’s Farmer Wellness Program through the Wisconsin Farm Center. Gov. Evers also approved an $8.8 million investment to support the development of the Dairy Innovation Hub at the University of Wisconsin System to boost dairy research and innovation. Additionally, Gov. Evers directed $100 million to support Wisconsin farmers in all 72 counties through the Wisconsin Farm Support Program.

Gov. Evers knows that farmers, farm families, and producers have been the backbone of the state for generations, so when President Donald Trump announced reckless tariff taxes and started picking fights with Wisconsin’s largest export partners, hurting Wisconsin’s economy and farmers, and driving up costs for gas and groceries, the governor got right to work. Gov. Evers proposed a state budget that would have invested over $80 million to support Wisconsin’s farmers and agricultural industries, including key efforts to help farmers and producers navigate economic volatility and uncertainty caused by irresponsible tariff taxes and trade wars, including:

• Increased staffing and funding for the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports, which was created by Gov. Evers in 2021 to promote Wisconsin exports, to continue to support farmers and producers wanting to expand into new markets and increase output. The proposal also removes a cap on the total amount of funding that DATCP can expend per year, providing more flexibility for this initiative;
• An additional $1.2 million to support the Dairy Processor Grant Program, which supports Wisconsin’s dairy processors to support the state’s dairy supply chain;
• Creating a new pilot program to help support on-farm projects that improve resilience and efficiency of farm operations, including upgrading IT infrastructure or milking equipment;
• Increasing funding for the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin and Something Special from Wisconsin marketing programs;
• Supporting the Food Security Initiative that connects food banks with local farmers and producers, as well as creating a Farm to Fork program to connect farmers with local entities that have cafeterias, like businesses, hospitals, and universities;
• Doubling funding for the farmer mental health support, including a 24/7 crisis helpline, counselor vouchers, and virtual counseling; and
• Additional funding for the Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant Program that supports groups working to improve water quality and prevent runoff, among several other proposals, among several other proposals.

Unfortunately, Republicans on the state’s budget committee voted to gut over 600 proposals from the governor’s budget proposal, including several key investments to support Wisconsin farmers, farm families, and the agricultural industry as a whole. Republican lawmakers voted against:

• Helping farmers and producers connect with local food pantries to strengthen the state’s food supply chain;
• Creating a new pilot program to support projects that improve resilience and modernize operations for dairy producers;
• Bolstering the meat processing workforce to ensure a strong supply chain for producers and consumers;
• Establishing “Truth-in-labeling” protections for milk and dairy products to prohibit products from being labeled as milk or dairy unless the product is made from a cow or another mammal;
• Supporting programs like the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin and Something Special From Wisconsin Grant Programs that promote marketing of local products, get products into local markets, and reduce food waste; and
• Helping farmers navigate market disruptions and volatility caused by tariffs by providing dedicated support staff, including regional support staff and a dedicated agricultural economist.

More information on the more than 600 proposals stripped from Gov. Evers’ 2025-27 Executive Budget is available here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.